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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. root — of a word
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. root — the cause
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. ground — a position
  11. key — the most important part
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — the fish
  14. key — for a lock
  15. root — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. wound — an injury
  18. key — in music
  19. lean — thin
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. ground — the earth
  22. wound — an injury
  23. lean — to bend
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com